Voyager: Hype! Hype! Hype! Hype! Hype!

EvilBob: Well… he’s not wrong. This week was all about the hype, in a looot of ways.

Voyager: It was! Now for the real question. Will it pay off?

EvilBob: Better question. Is that enough to sustain the episode?

Voyager: I guess we’ll find out! This is the Winter 2020 Anime TKO!

EvilBob: BATTLE ROYALE EDITION!!!

1 – Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun (88◎)

Voyager – 92
EvilBob – 100
Episode Average – 96

EvilBob: And the winner of the Winter 2020 Anime TKO is-!

Voyager: Ahahaha! Not yet, silly!

EvilBob: Oh. All right. Well, this episode was fun. I probably enjoyed it a little more than I should’ve.

Voyager: Heeeh~ so he admits it.

EvilBob: …I know you’re thinking I’m easily amused.

Voyager: Ahaha! I didn’t say anything! Also, you’re absolutely correct! Really! Totally on the money! Good job!

EvilBob: Oi…

Voyager: Quite the hard left from last week, though. Not an oof to be seen!

EvilBob: True… aw man. It’s coming up, isn’t it?

Voyager: Beeetter get your Kleeeenex~

2 – Runway de Waratte (84◎)

Voyager – 90
EvilBob – 90
Episode Average – 90

EvilBob: Okay, I get it, already! You’re a Shounen!

Voyager: Ahaha! Just noticing?

EvilBob: Good lord, the hype!

Voyager: Right?! All of the hype! It’s pretty amazing!

EvilBob: How does a show about modeling and fashion do this?!

Voyager: Hmmm… by giving us characters to connect with and making us empathize with them so we’re invested in their dreams?

EvilBob: …oh yeah.

Voyager: One thing’s for sure. We’re about to be in for a good old fashioned-

EvilBob: Oh! Can I say it? Can I? Huh? Please?

Voyager: Heehee. Like a lil puppy. Sure thing, doggo!

EvilBob: TOURNAMENT ARC! TOURNAMENT ARC! IT’S A FREAKING TOURNAME- wait, did you just call me Doggo?

3 – Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. (80◎)

Voyager – 80
EvilBob – 85
Episode Average – 83

EvilBob: In other hype news, Bofuri is finally starting up that guild event and maaan, am I looking forward to Maple Tree taking on the bigger guilds. That’s gonna be wild.

Voyager: Yeah yeah yeah! Not quiiite as hype as the tournament arc on the horizon in Runway de Waratte, but it’s still something they’ve been building towards the entire time! A completely different method! And it still works wonders! I do wish the show had a better handle on suspense, though. Maybe keeping some things closer to its chest so we could have those “aha!” moments later. But it’s still pretty great!

EvilBob: If nothing else, it’s been the most fun I’ve had, all season.

Voyager: Hear, hear!

4 – Somali to Mori no Kamisama (77◎)

Voyager – 75
EvilBob – 75
Episode Average – 75

EvilBob: So…

Voyager: This episode… happened.

EvilBob: It was kinda… dull. I mean… by comparison. It’s in its home stretch for the season, but this episode felt… like just any other episode.

Voyager: It’s weird! You’d think with only 4 episodes to go, they’d start building to… something. I doubt they’ll conclude their adventure, this season. But I’m not sensing much of a climax on the horizon.

EvilBob: And that doesn’t make for the most engaging viewing. Even a slice-of-life generally builds towards something by the last few episodes, low stakes or not.

Voyager: Oh well!

EvilBob: Well… that was a pretty quick bounce-back. Either way, the episode ain’t bad at all. Heck, it’s pretty friggin’ adorable. The subtleties are what make it really something else. But, this late in the game… we’re just looking for a little bit… more.

Prized Moment

EvilBob: Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a good ol’ Shounen Rivalry.

Voyager: Hype!

EvilBob: Hype, indeed.

Choice Screen Grab

Voyager: Bob!

EvilBob: I know!

Voyager: They did a thing!

EvilBob: I KNOW! Those magnificent bastards! They actually did it!

Top Line

Voyager: Awww!

EvilBob: That’s so sweet, I could die!

Voyager: Please don’t!

MVP: Sally

EvilBob: Now, pay close attention, class. This is what we call a Hard Carry.

Voyager: Ahaha! I hope her back’s okay!

EvilBob: Great leadership, on her part. And great cooperation from the others! Hey, dude, you know what else they did in this episode?

Voyager: Eh?

EvilBob: They played the objective!

Voyager: Ooooooh!

EvilBob: Ahem. Upon closer inspection…

Voyager: This’un has to go!

EvilBob: …I was gonna put it more delicately, but…

Voyager: Oh, whoops!

EvilBob: Whoopsie! Anyway, really, the show’s… fine? But it’s just not going anywhere. It feels like it’s just spinning its wheels, more often than not.

Voyager: Also, looking at it a liiittle more, the whole “Witch Village” thing kinda sorta totally destroys the plot!

EvilBob: Yeeeeah. Not the story they learn from the witches, mind. Though that doesn’t really help. Just… everything about that village is a problem. It’s the definition of “Don’t pull at that thread. Our whole world will unravel.”

Voyager: Then they probably shouldn’t have made the thread as thick and noticeable as a twine rope with a big ‘ol flashing neon sign that says “Do Not Pull!” Ahahaha!

EvilBob: True. So… that’s that. Bye Felicia.

Voyager: Don’t forget to write! Oh! Better! I meant don’t forget to write better! Tah!

Voyager: Done! Hey, no accolades or penalties, this time.

EvilBob: Eh. Nothing really stood out enough for that, I guess. Everything was pretty solid, at least. But that brings us to our special announcement.

Voyager: Oh yeah! So! For the next two episodes, there will be no eliminations!

EvilBob: We’re in the endgame, now. This is it. The top three of the season. It wouldn’t be right to just whittle them down, like that. So. Three episodes. All will be decided in three episodes.

Voyager: Three shows enter! One show leaves!

EvilBob: What Thunderdome, over here, said. We’re not even going to score the next two episodes publicly. All that will be saved for the 12th and final episode of each individual show.

Voyager: Then we get to see who claims the crown!

EvilBob: And more importantly – let’s be honest – who takes home the Silver.

Voyager: Eheheheheh. Yeeeeah… See, we crunched aaaaall the numbers!

EvilBob: Uh-oh. I sense Mental Abuse To Humans, coming on…

Voyager: And there’s a real shot at some big shifts! So let’s all get excited for the final few rounds of the Winter 2020 Anime TKO!

EvilBob: BATTLE ROYALE EDITION!

Voyager: oh. he does it no matter when. In the meantime, that’s a wrap! Thanks for reading!

EvilBob: And letting us waste your time.

Voyager: Keep up the Awesome!

EvilBob: And Keep it Classy.

Voyager: Take Care!